Grant To Help Finance Study Of Crystal Lake

November 03, 1998|By VANESSA HUA; Courant Staff Writer

ELLINGTON — With a $37,500 state grant, the town aims to study possible stormwater improvements on Crystal Lake.

Crystal Lake Association members, with assistance from town officials, applied for the study grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection in 1996. On Friday, the state Bond Commission authorized Ellington's slice of the million dollars in the state lake restoration program. The town will kick in an additional $12,500, bringing the total cost of the study to $50,000.

``This is our next step in preserving the lake,'' said Connie Milnes, association vice president and a longtime resident of Crystal Lake. ``We need help in understanding how to take care of sedimentation and erosion.''

Too much sedimentation causes the lake to become shallow, Milnes said. The study would also analyze water runoff for possible contaminants.

The last major lake project was nearly a decade ago, when sewers replaced the previous septic and holding tank systems. ``Water quality has increased dramatically,'' Milnes said.

The bureau of water management, a division of the DEP, will provide technical assistance in designing the study and will oversee the reports, said Charles Lee, an environmental analyst at the bureau.

Town officials, association members and bureau officials will meet in the next few months to discuss the study. It is unknown at this time when the study will begin, Milnes said.

``We're very excited. It's a good step forward,'' Milnes said.

Other towns around the state that received lake restoration grants include Coventry, New Fairfield and Guilford.